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This article is provided courtesy of Stars and Stripes, which got its start as a newspaper for Union troops during the Civil War, and has been published continuously since 1942 in Europe and 1945 in the Pacific. Stripes reporters have been in the field with American soldiers, sailors and airmen in World War II, Korea, the Cold War, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Bosnia and Kosovo, and are now on assignment in the Middle East.

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Bases May Downsize as Army Looks to Smaller Force

Stars and Stripes|Jan 22, 2013|by John Vandiver

STUTTGART, Germany -- Numerous Army installations across the U.S. could face significant downsizing in the coming years as the service reshapes into a smaller force, but for now the possibility of more troop reductions overseas has "been eliminated from further review,” according to an Army report.

In the Army’s Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Army 2020 Force Structure Realignment, the impact for overseas installations was not included in the analysis, which instead focused on 21 U.S. facilities. However, the report noted that any additional reductions overseas would not offset the demand for more downsizing in the U.S.

"In January, 2012, the U.S. Army announced major force reductions in Europe and other overseas locations that will occur by 2015,” the Army realignment report, released on Friday, stated. "Further reductions are, therefore, not being considered as a viable alternative for the realignment of Army forces as it would preclude the ability of U.S. forces to meet critical overseas mission requirements.”

Instead, the study evaluated the effects, including economic repercussions, on Army communities as the service works on cost-saving plans that involve significant reductions in the force.

Potential installation adjustments at the Army’s largest U.S. posts range from maximum reductions of 8,000 military personnel to maximum increases of 3,000, according to the Army. The impact on local communities could include job losses and a reduction in income levels and regional populations.

The Army’s study looked at ways to realign major Army posts based on a plan to reduce the Army’s active-duty end strength from 562,000 to 490,000 by fiscal 2020.

The assessment focused on two primary alternatives:

* Inactivate a minimum of eight brigade combat teams and realign other combat, combat support and service support units between fiscal 2013 and fiscal 2020.

*Implement the above plan and reorganize the remaining BCTs by adding a combat maneuver battalion and other units.

"These actions are being undertaken to reshape the Army’s forces to meet more effectively national security requirements while reducing the Army’s end-strength,” the Army said in a news release that accompanied the report. "Force realignment and some level of force reduction will impact most major Army installations."

Plans continue to be reviewed and no final decision has been made on which alternative should be implemented, according to the Army. "The specific locations where changes will occur have not been decided," the Army stated in its news release.